Box Score

COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Saint John's soccer erupted for four second-half goals in a 7-2 non-conference win over Wisconsin-Superior on Friday, Oct. 17, at Haws Field.

A pair of sophomores – forward Ronan O'Connor (Woodbury, Minn./Hill-Murray) and defender Jonathan Rinaldo (Västerås, Sweden/Widénska) – each scored a pair of goals and had an assist or more in the victory for SJU (8-4-3, 2-4-1 MIAC).

The Yellowjackets (9-5, 7-0 UMAC) were ranked seventh in this week's United Soccer Coaches Region IX poll and reached the Sweet 16 of the 2024 NCAA Division III Tournament.

O'Connor now has 36 points (14g/8a) in 15 games this fall. The 14 goals tie him with Jim Phelps '82 for the second-most in an SJU season (1979), while the 36 points are good for third.

O'Connor created the first scoring chance of the game for the Johnnies just five minutes into the game, as a bouncing ball in the box landed on his foot for a direct attempt at the UWS goal. His shot was saved by Yellowjacket goalkeeper Patrick Sessions, but the rebound fell to senior forward Alex Bowman (Elk River, Minn./Rogers), who dove to send his second of the season and 15th of his career into the net.

Superior evened the score at 1-1 four minutes later, taking advantage of a corner kick to set up Orlando Fertleman, who beat freshman goalkeeper Cole Hanson (Urbandale, Iowa) on a long shot to the top right corner. 



Rinaldo broke the tie in minute 25 with his first collegiate goal after being fed the ball by O'Connor and freshman midfielder Carter Gellner (Chaska, Minn./Chanhassen). Freshman midfielder James Torguson (Shakopee, Minn.) moved the team up the field after regaining possession, sending a long pass to O'Connor. The sophomore forward maneuvered around a Yellowjacket defender and sent a high pass in across the box which was headed by Gellner and then once more by Rinaldo to take the lead, 2-1. 

O'Connor scored his 13th goal of the season three minutes later, gathering a pass from freshman midfielder Eli Ryan (Victoria, Minn./Minnetonka) for a make-shift breakaway. O'Connor sent the ball into the low right corner for the 3-1 SJU lead that held until the half. 

Rinaldo ignited a flurry of goals after the break, scoring at the 61:46 mark thanks to a cross through the box from senior defender Foster Conlin (Mooresville, N.C./Mounds View). The next eight minutes brought two more goals for the Johnnies, one on a well-placed pass to Gellner and the other an O'Connor finish off a pair of quick passes from Rinaldo and senior defender Caden Ligman (St. Paul, Minn./Highland Park).

UWS scored on a penalty kick – the second against SJU in as many games – to cut the lead to 6-2, but senior forward Connor Drong (St. Cloud, Minn./Cathedral) intercepted a Yellowjacket pass five minutes later and booted it to freshman defender Drew Ripp (Onalaska, Wis./Holmen) for his first collegiate goal and the 7-2 final.

Hanson made five saves in 76 minutes of work between the pipes, while freshman keeper Austin Ertel (Brownsburg, Ind./Lawrence Central) allowed the PK goal and made a save in the final 13 minutes of play.

Shots were nearly even between the two teams, 17-16 in favor of SJU, but 12 of the Johnnies' attempts were on target compared to six for the Yellowjackets. Superior earned nine corner kicks to the Johnnies' one.

The Johnnies play host to Wisconsin-Stout for the final non-conference game of the fall at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 22, in Collegeville.